Conventional wisdom in the casino industry historically has been smoking is a requirement for a successful casino. Casinos that eliminated smoking in the early 2000s saw a dip in patronage, and 20 years later many still point to these examples.
However, changes in preferences, spurred on by a longterm reduction in smoking in the population, as well as changes spurred by the COVID pandemic, show a clear difference in player preferences. A new study finds 86% of players preferred a smokefree experience when visiting a casino.
The results of the survey, a collaboration of Brian Christopher Slots and the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANRF), confirmed a continuing shift as a higher percentage of the population are nonsmokers, including:
- 86% of casino patrons surveyed are nonsmokers
- 87% of those surveyed are frequent (several times per month) players
- 89% of high income (more than $150,000) players surveyed saying they are nonsmokers
The survey was released leading into the Global Gaming Expo, which included a panel discussing insights from smokefree casinos featuring BCSlots Creator and CEO Brian Christopher, ANRF President Cynthia Hallett, Potawatomi Casino Hotel Milwaukee Sr. Content Marketing Manager Tashina Williams, Foxwoods Resort Casino Senior Vice President Bryan Hayes.
In recent years, more casinos have gone nonsmoking, with many mainaining a smokefree stance since reopening after the pandemic. Potawatomi and Foxwoods are among those that have sustained success with a smokefree environment more than four years later.
During the session, both Williams and Hayes spoke about how player sentiment shifted considerably after the pandemic.
Williams said that their player surveys showed “73% prefer a nonsmoking environment and 60% strongly prefer” smokefree spaces, with impacts seen in both time on property and money spent.
Hayes similarly shared that “pre-pandemic 60%, shifted to just under 80%, saying they’d rather be in a smokefree environment, and play in an environment where smoking is not allowed.”
Williams shared that for employees the sentiment was even stronger. “90 percent said they want to work in an environment with no smoke.” She added, “people are pregnant. It’s not just affecting them, a second person being affected by the smoke too.”
Both said they didn’t see a correlation with those complaining about not being able to smoke and a reduction in visitation and spend, which helped reinforce the decisions that they made for their properties.
Williams also shared early results from a survey conducted of Potawotami players that affirmed the data included in the recent release conducted by BCSlots and ANRF.
Last year during another G2E panel, it was shared that the top 7 casinos outside of Nevada that reported their performance were all smokefree casinos, a combination of those that made the decision by choice and those that were required to be smokefree by state law. Foxwoods was also part of that list, purely on the performance of its slots – table games likely would have seen them rise on the list.
Other survey insights included that players shared a casino being smokefree is a bigger factor in where they choose to play (61%) than cleanliness (49%), travel distance (41%), and how likely it is to pay out (31%). 90% of respondents, including smokers, agreed that safe indoor air was important. 97% of casino workers agreed with that sentiment.
2,136 people were surveyed in December 2023 and January 2024, making it the largest survey of its kind conducted to date.
I luv smoke free but will go to Pennsylvania to the Rivers which has some sections that are smoke free but they are right next to the smoking. They at least try to give us the good games. That was always my complaint places would give you smoke free room that have very few games and never the good ones you want to play. I live in Ohio and it s all smoke free but our casinos do have a place for the smokers which is small and away from the lager gaming area. Win win in my book. Thanks for letting me comment.
That is a funny aspect about casinos that did nonsmoking sections – they put old, less popular machines in the section, didn’t update it, and then pointed to the performance and said “it doesn’t work” – that’s definitely a reason why smokefree casinos that invest in their property to keep the experience awesome are just killing it right now!